For the second time in six months, the Interim Louisiana State University Public Hospital is going through high-level management turnover. The hospital is now being run by a top Louisiana State University system administrator and an Atlanta consultant. The moves come as the state continues its plans for a new teaching hospital in New Orleans and as LSU promises a search for a permanent chief executive for the facility.
An analysis of proposals to overhaul U.S. healthcare by President-elect Barack Obama and members of Congress suggests it is possible to insure all Americans without significantly raising total health spending. The report, released by the Commonwealth Fund, suggests plans outlined by Obama and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus could cover almost all Americans. But to hit that mark, they would need to require all Americans to obtain coverage and include efforts to cut administrative costs and boost purchasing efficiencies.
Missouri has expanded a program that provides women's health services to low-income, uninsured women. State-funded medical services, including cancer screenings, family planning services, and pelvic exams, are now available to women ages 18 to 55 with income up to $32,568 annually for a family of three. Until now, the women's health program was available only to uninsured women for a year following the birth of a child. As many as 83,000 additional women could be eligible for the health services under the expanded program.
Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and state officials are set to unveil a $500 million plan that they hope will position the state as a leader in healthcare information technology. Mongiardo will announce a new collaboration among Northern Kentucky University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Louisville to turn the state into a "national laboratory" on whether implementing such technology will cut healthcare costs and improve people's health. State officials hope to tap into the $50 billion promised for healthcare IT investments by President-elect Barack Obama for the project, Mongiardo said.
The seven-year odyssey to bring a hospital to Madison, AL, is expected to move a step closer to completion. as attorneys for the two hospitals competing to expand into Madison will make their arguments in Montgomery to Circuit Court. Huntsville Hospital was poised to build a 60-bed hospital at its Madison Medical Park after being awarded a state certificate of need in March. But Crestwood Medical Center appealed, saying the state panel that approves new healthcare facilities unfairly ignored the recommendation of administrative law judge Randy Reaves.
Hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp. said one of its subsidiaries is closing Community Hospital of Los Gatos, CA, effective April 10. The hospital is owned by Long Beach, CA-based real estate investment trust HCP Inc.